From 'Dawson's Creek' to 'Varsity Blues': James Van Der Beek's most beloved roles

From Dawson Leery to Jonathon “Mox” Moxon, James Van Der Beek’s career was marked by characters who embodied the high school teen spirit, along with supporting roles in some of the popular television shows of his time.

Van Der Beek’s role in “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23,” “‘Rules of Attraction” coupled with more high-profile film and roles added to Van Der Beek’s impressive Hollywood resume of several decades.

After Van Der Beek, who publicly announced his cancer diagnosis in 2024, died at 48, here is a look back at some of the actor’s most noteworthy roles in film, television and stage.

Dawson Leery on ‘Dawson’s Creek’

PHOTO: The cast of "Dawson's Creek." — The cast of “Dawson’s Creek.” From left to right: Katie Holmes (Joey Potter), James Van Der Beek (Dawson Leery), Michelle Williams (Jennifer Lindley) and Joshua Jackson (Pacey).
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Van Der Beek’s most recognizable role came in the form of the title role of Dawson Leery in The WB network’s 1998 show, “Dawson’s Creek.” Van Der Beek dropped out of college to star in the role for the whole of its six-year run, opposite fellow cast members and future stars Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson.

In Leery, Van Der Beek portrayed an aspiring filmmaker, coping with the ills of adolescence and young adulthood.

“That was when life was at its craziest,” Van Der Beek reflected about his time on the hit show in a 2020 interview with “Good Morning America.” “At 20 years old, I got stupidly lucky and found myself in a zeitgeist, cultural phenomenon TV show, and I was suddenly famous.”

Jonathon “Mox” Moxon on ‘Varsity Blues’

James Van Der Beek and John Voight in a scene from “Varsity Blues.”
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Van Der Beek parlayed his “Dawson’s Creek” success into the starring role in the 1999 coming-of-age sports drama “Varsity Blues.”

The actor took on the role of Jonathon “Mox” Moxon, the backup quarterback for West Canaan High School in Texas. Van Der Beek’s performance as the intelligent quarterback earned him the best breakthrough male performance award at the 1999 MTV Movie Awards and the choice movie breakout star at the 1999 Teen Choice Awards.

“It was a movie I really, really cared about, it was a role I really cared about,” Van Der Beek told “Good Morning America.” “It was a role I really had to fight for. I had to fight for that role; nobody wanted me for that role initially,” he said.

‘Rules of Attraction’

In 2002, Van Der Beek starred in the comedy film, based on Bret Easton Ellis book “Rules of Attraction,” as Sean Bateman, a New Hampshire college drug dealer whose misadventures, along with several classmates, the film focuses on. Van Der Beek’s character in the film is the younger brother of “American Psycho” main character Patrick Bateman. “American Psycho” was also written by Ellis.

Also starring in the film are Shannyn Sossamon, Kip Pardue, Jessica Biel and Ian Somerhalder.

‘Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23’

James Van Der Beek, right, in a scene from “Don’t Trust the B- In Apartment 223.”
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Van Der Beek played a humorous and exaggerated version of himself in the two seasons of the ABC comedy “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.”

In the show, Van Der Beek plays a struggling actor who is looking to regain the success of his younger years.

Van Der Beek, who scored a Teen Choice nomination for the role, starred alongside Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker and more in the role.

‘Texas Rangers’

In 2001, James Van Der Beek starred in the Western film “Texas Rangers,” playing Lincoln Rogers Dennison. The role marked his first major leading film performance, casting him as a serious, morally driven lawman-in-training.

The movie follows a group of young, rebellious men who become Texas lawmen and must abandon their outlaw pasts to stop a violent criminal gang in post–Civil War Texas. Van Der Beek co-starred alongside Ashton Kutcher, Dylan McDermott, Rachael Leigh Cook, and Usher Raymond.

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